Post by Jon on Apr 10, 2014 22:58:08 GMT
Apr 10, 2014 19:44:26 GMT @lummatoncross1 said:
There's a fixture in the 1989/90 season against Gillingham that wasn't played on the original scheduled date of 28 October. I wonder if that was it?Well played Barty. Spot on. It doesn't say if it was a poplar or a larch though.
70 saved from stricken ships
Sunday Times, The (London, England) - Sunday, October 29, 1989
Author: Margarette Driscoll and Mark Ellis
SEVENTY people were rescued from sinking vessels around Britain's storm-lashed coasts last night as winds reached hurricane force in the southwest.
A cargo ship sank minutes after 40 people, including women and children, were rescued by Royal Navy helicopters after getting into difficulties in gales off Devon.
Three Sea King helicopters, buffeted by 80mph winds, winched all to safety within minutes of the 18,000-ton Pakistani freighter Murree starting to sink 15 miles off Start Point. A navy diver who was forced to jump into the sea after helping the last person off the stricken vessel was also rescued.
A British yachtsman was rescued 270 miles from Land's End after he abandoned his catamaran as it started sinking in high seas. Stephen Jeckells, a sailor from Norfolk, was drifting in an inflatable raft when he was picked up by the bulk carrier Gallant Tiger, which heard his mayday call.
Falmouth coastguards said: ``We have sent a message congratulating the skipper of the Gallant Tiger on his seamanship."
The ship picked up the distress call and headed for the yacht's last known position, saw a flare and got close enough for Jeckells to grab a ladder and climb to safety.
He had sailed from Plymouth six days ago, bound for Jacksonville, Florida.
Thirty-three people were rescued after a ship was driven on to rocks in heavy seas off the Shetlands. The Lerwick lifeboat went to the aid of the Nigerian-registered Azu, a factory ship for processing fish. Eight crew remained on board and the others were taken to Lerwick. The Azu was later refloated by a tug.
The British coaster Timrix with a crew of five was making for Cork early today after carrying out emergency repairs. The tug Lady Alma said a dredger, which had no crew, being towed from Liverpool had overturned off Waterford. An Irish naval ship was standing by in the area.
Gales gusting at up to 100mph caused chaos across the country. In Devon, 200 homes were without power and roads were blocked by fallen trees and telegraph poles. Ships off Falmouth were forced to take shelter from the storm.
Forecasters say worse is to come as a depression moves towards the north of Britain from Ireland, where it caused flooding. In Co Mayo and Co Donegal, several people had to be rescued in boats from their homes after torrential rain fell for 24 hours.
On the south coast, a coaster, the Alkwather I, carrying cars and containers, lost some of its deck cargo as the winds and high seas left it listing heavily. The coastguard appealed for tugs to bring the boat into Poole harbour.
In Berwick, a fire officer was praised for his bravery after rescuing three men trapped in a car partly submerged in the waters of the river Till. The car went over the edge of the road during the early hours of yesterday morning at a bend in rain and fog.
It slid 100ft down an embankment, then fell a further 50ft to the water's edge. One man, who was unhurt, climbed out of the upturned car and raised the alert.
A rescue crew lowered cutting equipment down the embankment and worked in water up to their waists, using a boat to reach the three men still trapped in the car.
Three people were taken to hospital in Plymouth, one by police helicopter, after two cars crashed in heavy rain at Lifton, on the Devon/Cornwall border. The Severn Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles and traffic was restricted to 20mph.
Yesterday afternoon a 60ft chimney collapsed outside the submarine refit complex at Devonport dockyard, crushing cars and Portakabins. Police, ambulance and rescue services were called and a naval thermal-imaging camera was used to try to determine whether there were people trapped under the debris.
A football match between Torquay United and Gillingham was called off when a 63ft tree was blown down by wind on to open terraces where, minutes later, football supporters would have been standing.
More rain is forecast today in all parts of Britain.
